Reasons against wearing high heels, which are almost exclusively health and practicality reasons, include:
- They can cause foot pain.
- They increase likelihood of sprains and fractures.
- They make calves look more rigid and sinewy.
- They can create foot deformities, including hammertoes and bunions.
- They can cause an unsteady gait.
- They can shorten the wearer's stride.
- They can render the wearer unable to run.
- Altered forces at the knee caused by walking in high heels may predispose to degenerative changes in the knee joint.
- Foot and tendon problems as listed below.
- Women who wear high heels frequently have a higher incidence of degenerative joint disease of the knees. This is because they cause a decrease in the normal rotation of the foot, which puts more rotation stress on the knee.